Chronic pain and depression are health conditions that often go hand in hand. Many people who suffer from long-term pain and health problems, like fibromyalgia, neuropathic pain, complex regional pain syndromes and spinal pain, also suffer from depression. After all, when you wake up each day faced with debilitating pain, it’s understandable that you become less enthusiastic, and feelings of sadness and hopelessness can overwhelm you.
If you have tried a variety of treatments for pain or depression, but have had little success, ketamine infusion therapy may be the solution you’re looking for. Take a few minutes to learn about how this cutting-edge therapy can help you manage your symptoms and enjoy a happier, more active lifestyle.
The basics of intravenous ketamine infusion therapy
Popular for surgical use for its anesthetic properties since the 1960s, ketamine has been used to treat chronic pain and depression for more than 10 years. Using lower doses than are needed for an aesthesia, intravenous (IV) ketamine infusions ease pain and reduce feelings of depression, including severe depression. While it’s not entirely clear how ketamine works, it’s likely that it affects the receptors in your brain that contribute to your feelings of pain and despair.
When ketamine binds to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in your brain, it helps increase the amount of a neurotransmitter called glutamate. Glutamate activates connections in another brain receptor, which triggers the release of molecules that help neurons find new pathways to communicate with each other in your brain. This process is called synaptogenesis, and it’s thought to affect your mood and thought patterns. Ketamine is also thought to reduce signals in your brain that are connected to inflammation. Ultimately, ketamine works in several ways simultaneously to ease your sense of pain through its anesthetic properties and to improve your mood and the way you think about things, thus alleviating feelings of depression and hopelessness.
Ketamine infusion therapy may provide relief when other medications don’t
As noted above, ketamine infusion therapy as a treatment for chronic pain and depression is not considered a first line intervention. When you’ve already exhausted traditional therapies and medications, but you’re not able to achieve long-term pain relief or reduce your symptoms of depression, ketamine infusions may be the alternative solution that finally provides lasting relief.
Additionally, addictive opioid pain medications have become an epidemic in our society. If you’re looking to become less dependent on opioids for chronic pain, IV ketamine infusions offer a controlled, often immediate effect on pain. For example, if you have to keep increasing the amount of pain pills you need just to get through your day, ketamine infusion therapy may allow you to take less medication or eliminate it altogether, and provide relief from chronic, debilitating pain.
Ketamine infusion therapy often works faster on pain and depression
When it comes to treating depression, you typically have to take a prescription antidepressant for a month or more before it builds up enough within your system for you to notice a difference. So you might take medications for a month before your feelings of hopelessness and depression begin to subside. On top of that, you may need to try multiple medications before you find one that works.
With IV ketamine infusion therapy, it’s possible to experience an improvement in your pain or mood within just a few hours. We here at The Pain Team find that a single infusion is usually sufficient to provide significant relief, often lasting for weeks to several months. Our doctors create a customized ketamine infusion therapy plan based on your individual needs and its effects on your pain or depression.
After the initial treatment, you work with your doctor to determine if regular maintenance treatments spaced at longer intervals than your first ketamine infusion may be beneficial to helping you maintain your positive results. Our doctors may also recommend ketamine infusion therapy in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy and other treatments as a holistic approach to helping you manage pain and depression for the long term.
Being unable to successfully manage your chronic pain and depression can lead to increased symptoms and feelings of hopelessness and fear that you’ll never feel better or normal again. Here at Integrative medical Pain clinic , we can help you get your life back.
FAQs
What Is Ketamine?
How do I know if Ketamine Infusions are Right for Me?
Is Ketamine A Cure?
How Many Infusions will I need?
Ketamine, when given in a single infusion, has been shown to provide short-term relief of symptoms that lasts only a few hours to a few days. Current evidence has shown that a series of infusions over two weeks can produce lasting relief for a few weeks to a few months, at which time the patient simply needs to come in for a single booster infusion.
The standard protocol for mental health conditions is six 40-minute infusions given over a two to three-week time period, while the protocol for a chronic pain condition includes a series of 2-4 hour infusions, given consecutively over three to five days. Following the initial series, the patient then comes in as needed for a booster infusion if symptoms return.
How Can I Expect To Feel During My Ketamine Infusion?
As described above, Ketamine is considered to be a “dissociative” anesthetic. Some people describe this feeling as being in a very vivid dream. It is important that you come to your session aware that this feeling is normal and expected and that you are completely safe. Staff will be available to help reorient you and guide you through this experience, and if necessary, can give you a medicine called Versed (Midazolam) to help calm you.
Many people report an increase in sensitivity to lights and sound, so once the infusion has started, the lights will be dimmed, and you will be given noise-canceling headphones. These headphones can be connected to your phone via Bluetooth prior to your session, and you can listen to a music selection of your choice. We recommend familiar and calming music. You may want to make a playlist prior to coming.
Some people may experience nausea (upset stomach) or vomiting (throwing up) during the infusion. If you are prone to these symptoms or have experienced motion sickness in the past, please let your provider know, and you will be given some anti-nausea medicine prior to or during your infusion.
How Should I Prepare for My Infusion?
As with any procedure where you are given an anesthetic agent, there are eating and drinking restrictions. These restrictions are required because of the high potential to cause nausea or vomiting during or after your infusion. When you have an anesthetic, it can impair your protective reflexes, making you more likely to aspirate (get vomit in your lungs). This can be very serious and lead to pneumonia and hospitalization, so we take your eating and drinking status very seriously.
We ask that you stop eating for 6 hours prior and stop drinking 2 hours prior to your scheduled infusion. You can drink clear liquids such as water, clear soda, jello, or black coffee up to 2 hours prior to your infusion, and we actually encourage you to drink a high carbohydrate clear liquid such as Gatorade or coconut water 2-3 hours prior. You should have NOTHING in your mouth, including gum, candy, or chewing tobacco, for 2 hours prior to your infusion.
You may be asked to have your labs drawn prior to your infusions to check your liver function and electrolyte levels.
Please continue to take your regular scheduled medications on the morning of your infusion. You may be instructed to discontinue long-acting benzodiazepines such as Klonopin (Clonazepam), Valium (Diazepam), or Xanax (Alprazolam) as these can interfere with the effectiveness of the infusions.
We also ask that you mentally prepare for your infusions. The dissociation can be uncomfortable at first; being in a positive mindset has been shown to decrease the risk of having a negative experience.
The day before your infusion, limit your social media exposure and watch happy things on television. Avoid watching the news or any action-packed or scary movies. Meditation and visualization prior to your infusions can also help you to be in the right mindset.
We ask that you wear loose, comfortable clothing on the day of your infusion and that you either wear short sleeves or sleeves that can be rolled above the elbows. Generally, the infusion will run through an IV in your hand, but if we are not able to obtain access via your hand, we will use a vein in the crease of your elbow.
We encourage you to bring items from home that provide you comfort. If you forget or choose not to bring these items, most can be provided for you. Suggestions of what to bring include:
- Music Player or Cell Phone (keep the ringer on silent) but can be used for music.
- Headphones
- Eye Masks
- Sunglasses should be worn after the infusions as you may be sensitive to light following your infusion.
- Soft Blanket
- A neck pillow or regular pillow
- Wear comfortable clothes and shoes
What should I expect when I show up for my first infusion?
On the day of your procedure, please arrive 15 minutes prior to your appointment time so you have time to complete any required paperwork. Once all paperwork is completed, a staff member will take you to a private room. We ask that you use the bathroom at this time, as you will not be able to do so once your infusion has started.
Once you get to your room, you can take your shoes off and get comfortable in our powered recliners with optional heat and massage. The nurse will put a blood pressure cuff on your arm or forearm, a pulse oximetry monitor on your finger to monitor your oxygen level, and if you have a cardiac history, you may also have EKG patches to monitor your heart rhythm and rate.
You will have a few minutes to set up your music or visual preferences as we prepare your infusion. Once the infusion is prepared, an intravenous (IV) catheter will be placed in a vein in your hand or arm, and the infusion will be started. If you are having the infusion for a mental health condition, the infusion will be set to run over 45 minutes (2-4 hours for chronic pain conditions). You may choose to bring a family member or friend or, if you prefer, your psychotherapist/counselor. Emotional support animals are also allowed as long as they are properly trained, are quiet, and do not disturb or pose a risk to other staff members or patients.
A staff member will check on you throughout the infusion at regular intervals to monitor your vital signs, and he/she may ask you some simple questions to assess your orientation and reassure you.
What Happens When The Infusion is Done?
When the infusion has ended, you will be monitored until such a time that your vital signs are stable, you are oriented, and stable on your feet. This can take anywhere from 15 minutes to one hour, depending on how quickly you metabolize the medication.
When you first start moving, you may feel a bit dizzy or lightheaded. This feeling will subside over the next 2-3 hours. You may not feel hungry after these infusions, but we encourage you to drink a protein shake and drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
You will need to have a responsible adult drive you home. Alternatively, you can use UBER/LYFT services. If using UBER or LYFT, a staff member will accompany you to the car.
How Much Do Ketamine Infusions Cost?
Costs can vary depending on the type of condition treated, infusion time and dose, and number of infusions needed. Unfortunately, although low-dose Ketamine Infusions have been proven to be a safe and effective treatment in many resistant conditions, it is still considered an off-label use and not covered by most insurance companies. We do require treatments to be paid in full at the time of service; however, we would be happy to assist you in submitting a claim to your insurance company. If we receive reimbursement, we can take this amount off your next infusion or refund you.
We also offer 0% Interest financing for 14 months through our partners at Advanced Care. Most people are approved instantly.
If you do not qualify for financing through Advanced Care, please provide us with the denial information, and we will work with you to find a payment option that works for you.
WE ARE PROUD TO OFFER 15% OFF to all VETERANS and FIRST RESPONDERS.